Control-bar key-lever-actuation structure for keyboard mechanism



J. F. HERRMANN CONTROL-BAR KEY-LEVER-ACTUATION STRUCTURE June 27, 1967 INVENTOR. JOHN Fv HERRMANN FOR KEYBOARD MECHANISM Filed Jan. 25, 1966 United States Patent 3,327,829 CONTROL-BAR KEY-LEVER-ACTUATION STRUC- TURE FOR KEYBOARD MECHANISM John F. Herrmann, Pittsford, N.Y., assignor to Friden, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 522,939 12 Claims. (Cl. 1979S) The present invention relates to control bar support and actuation structures for keyboard mechanisms and, more particularly, to such structures which enable the operational positioning of the conventional space bar and one or more similar control bars along the forward edge of a manually operable keyboard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved control bar support and actuation structure which enables as many as four or more control bars to be operatively positioned in line across the forward edge of a keyboard mechanism and, when so positioned, to operate individual key levers of the mechanism which may be located in individual positions anywhere within and even beyond the span of each control bar.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel control bar support and actuation structure which, while enabling positioning of plural control bars in line across the forward edge of a keyboard mechanism, does not require objectionably excessive control bar actuation travel as often is encountered in prior structures wherein each control bar is pivotally supported from a rear pivot axis corresponding to that upon which the key levers of the mechanism are conventionally pivotally supported.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improved control bar support and actuation structure which enables positioning of one or more control bars near the center forward edge of a keyboard mechanism and the actuation by each such bar of an individual key lever located at any position of the mechanism including the extreme ends thereof.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a new control bar support and actuation structure for a keyboard mechanism and one which not only provides a high degree of versatility in numerous diverse applications yet is of simple and relatively inexpensive contruction having minimized numbers of parts involving only a simple low-cost assembly.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as a detailed description thereof proceeds in the light of the drawings forming a part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates in plan view the construction of a control-bar key-lever-actuation structure embodying the present invention in a form suitable for a keyboard mechanism;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are end elevational views, partly in cross-section, along the planes 2-2 and 33 of the FIG. 1 construction; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view, partly in crosssection, taken along the plane 4-4 of the FIG. 1 structure.

The usual typewriter form of keyboard mechanism is conventionally provided with an elongated space bar positioned along the forward edge of the keyboard mechanism in spaced relation to the ends of the key levers thereof. This space bar, and shorter auxiliary control bars,

' are provided by the control-bar key-lever-actuation structure embodying the present invention and illustrated in plan view in FIG. 1. This structure is typically used in combination with a keyboard mechanism in the manner more particularly shown in the copending application of Hugh St. L. Dannatt entitled Keyboard Mechanism, Serial No. D 6348, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. To this end, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, the forward ends of the key levers of the keyboard ice mechanism extend into guide slots 11 of a spacer bar 12 which is common to the keyboard mechanism and to the control-bar key-lever-actuation structure of the present invention. The spacer bar 12 is conveniently supported by the side plates 13 and 14 of the keyboard mechanism as by use of machine screws 15.

An outer manually operable control bar 18 is fixedly supported upon a platform frame member 12 conveniently fabricated of sheet metal providing an elongated platform 20 having turned-over end flange portions 21 providing spaced and parallel support leg projections 22.

The control-bar key-lever-actuation structure includes an elongated support structure comprised by sheet metal bracket members 2 3 having a base plate 24 secured by machine screws to the lower surface of the spacer bar 12 as shown, and by which the structure of the invention is fixedly secured forwardly of the keyboard mechanism in spaced relation to the ends of the key levers 10 thereof. Each of the bracket members 2 3 has a turned-over end portion which, for adjacent ones of the bracket members, provide spaced and parallel support projections 25. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of bracket members are affixed to the spacer bar 12 in spaced relation across the end of the keyboard mechanism, and a pair of shafts 26 and 27 extend between the end ones of the bracket members E and are journaled in spaced parallel relation by all such members as shown. These shafts are conveniently provided with peripheral grooves (not shown) to receive C washers 28 near their ends and by which the shafts are positionally retained in the bracket members 55.

A pair of rigid elongated link platform members 22 and Q, conveniently fabricated of sheet metal providing a base portion 31 and overturned parallel end flanges 32, are rotatably supported and journaled at one end upon the shafts 26 and 27 which extend through apertures 33 in the end flanges 32. The opposite ends of the end flanges 32 of the link platform members g and E are similarly apertured rotatably to support the latter members upon a second pair of shafts 36 and 37 which extend between and are journaled in spaced parallel relation by the support leg projections 22 of the platform frame member 19. The shafts 36 and 37 are conveniently provided with I ripheral grooves (not shown) near their ends to receive C washers 38 which positionally retain the shafts in the platform frame member Q.

A split-end clamp coupling bar member 39 is fixedly clamped by a machine screw 46 on the shaft 36 and is ournaled on the opposing shaft 26, members 1 and E having notches for access to the machine screw 40. An arm member 42 is fixedly secured, conveniently by soldermg or brazing, upon the end of the shaft 36 and extends into an opposing slot 11 of the spacer bar 12 where it is positioned in overlapping engageable relation with a notch 43 provided at the end of a key lever 10a also guided by the same slot 11 of the spacer bar 12.

A spring 44 has hooked ends conveniently engaging peripheral grooves (not shown) provided centrally of the shafts 26 and 37 to provide a bias force urging the platform frame member Q and its control bar 18 to a nonoperated position at which a projecting nose portion 45 (shown in FIG. 4) of the platform frame member 19 engages a spacer anti-friction bushing 46 provided on the shaft 26 at each end of the link platform member 29, spacer anti-friction bushings being similarly provided E1 the shaft 27 at each end of the link platform member 9. The manually operated position of the platform frame member Q and control bar 18 is established by engagement of a depending portion 47 of the side flanges 21 of the frame member Q with a resilient sheet material 48, such as rubber, affixed on the upper surface of the spacer bar 12 between the slots 11 of the latter.

It will be evident from the foregoing description of the control-@bar key-lever-actuation structure that manual depression of the control bar 18 causes downward motion of the platform frame member 19 in an essentially straight-line character of movement by reason of the parallelogram support of the platform frame member by the link platform members Q and Q as rotationally journaled on the shafts 26, 27 and 36, 37. This motion is halted, when the control bar 18 is manually depressed to an operated position, by engagement of the platform frame member side portions 47 with the resilient material 48. As the platform frame member 12 is thus manually moved downwardly to its operated position against the bias force of the spring 44, the coupling clamp bar member 39 rotates about its journaled support on the shaft 26 and the bar member 39 in so moving provides corresponding rotation of the shaft 36 and with it the arm 42 to effect downward depression of the key lever a as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3. Upon release of manual pressure on the control bar 18, the platform frame member 2 is restored to non-operated position by the bias force exerted by the spring 44, thus permitting the arm 42 and key lever 10a also to restore to their nonoperated positions. Due to the fixed mechanical connections of the arm 42 and the clamp bar member 39 to the same shaft 36, it will be evident that the arcuate pivotal motion of the arm 42 occurs about the axis of the shaft 26. This has the important advantage that the motion of the control bar 13 is amplified in effecting corresponding movement of the end of the arm 42 by reason of the mechanical advantage arising from the connection of the frame member 12 to the shaft 36 intermediate the spacing of the end of the arm 42 from the shaft 26. Thus for any value of required operational displacement of the key lever 16a, the control bar 18 need move downward a lesser distance such as one approximately one-half the amount of movement of the key lever 10a for the physical dimensions illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is evident that the range of movement required of the control bar 18 accordingly is substantially less than would be the case where, as heretofore, the control bar is supported upon arms pivoting at the rear end of the keyboard mechanism on the same pivotal axis as the keyboard key levers.

The present control-bar key-lever-actuation structure is shown as also including an intermediate control bar 18' and a much longer space bar 18" aligned with the control bar 18 and each having the same general support and actuation construction and mode of operation as that just described for the control bar 18. Mechanical elements and structural components employed in association with the control bar 18 and which correspond to similar elements and components used in association with the control bar 18 are designated by similar reference numerals primed, and in similar manner elements and structural components employed in association with the space bar 18" and which correspond to similar elements and components used in association with the control bar 18 are designated by similar reference numerals double-primed. Whereas it was earlier explained that the split end coupling clamp bar member 39 used with the control bar 18 is clamped by the machine screw 40 to the shaft 36 and is journaled on the opposing shaft 26, the corresponding split end coupling clamp bar member 39' used with the control bar 18' is journaled on the shaft 36' and is clamped by a machine screw 40 on the shaft 26. Also and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is affixed to the end of the shaft 26 an arm 42' which extends into overlapping engageable relation with a notch 43' provided at the front end of a key lever 10b. Thus manual depression of the control bar 18' causes the clamp bar member 39' to rotate the shaft 26 and thereby angularly move the arm 42' to depress the key lever 10b. The construction and operation of the structure associated with the control bar 18' is otherwise the same as that described in connection 4 with the control bar 18 and will not be repeated. The split coupling clamp bar member 39" associated with the structure of the space bar 18" is clamped by a machine screw 40" to the shaft 36" and is journaled on the opposing shaft 26. An arm 42" secured on the end of the shaft 36" as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 overlaps the end of a key lever 19c and is effective to operate the latter in the same manner as described in connection with the operation of the key lever 10a by the structure described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 3. Since the space bar 18 is shown as being appreciably longer than the control bars 18 and 18', it is convenient to employ at the ends of the space bar 18" a pair of half-platform frame members 19a" and 19b" as illustrated in FIG. 1 rather than to use a unitary platform frame member extending from end to end of the space bar 18". The construction and operation of the structure associated with the space bar 18' is, except as just noted, the same as that described in connection with the control bar 18. It may be noted in this respect that although the control bars 18 and 18' and especially the space bar 18" have substantial lengths, the link platform members (i.e. l2 and a) effectively extend over the length of each such bar and are so rigid and rigidly supported as to provide a very rigid operating structure so that the control bar or space bar has equal downward travel along its entire length no matter where manual pressure is applied along the length of the bar and accordingly remains level and has no tendency to tilt or see-saw.

While the control bars 18 and 18' and the space bar 18" are illustrated by way of example as arranged to operate end key levers Ida-10c of a key lever mechanism, it will be evident that the arm 42 associated with the control bar 18 may be positioned anywhere along the shaft 36 to operate any key lever within the span of the control bar 18 as well as an end key lever as particularly described. It will further be evident that the arm 42 may be positioned anywhere along the length of the shaft 26 to effect operation by the control bar 18 of any desired key lever of the keyboard mechanism, and similarly that the arm 42" may be positioned anywhere along the length of the shaft 36" to operate any key lever within or to one side of the span of the space bar 18". Thus the control-bar key-lever-actuation structure of the present invention enables a plurality of control bars to be operatively positioned in line across the forward edge of a keyboard mechanism and, when so positioned, to provide wide flexibility in the selection of any one of a large number of key levers for operation by each control bar or space bar. The structure of the invention further does not require objectionally excessive control or space bar actuation travel, and provides a high degree of versatility in numerous diverse applications yet is of simple and relatively inexpensive construction having minimized numbers of parts involving only a simple low-cost assembly.

While there has been described a specific form of the invention for purposes of illustration, it is contemplated that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure for a keyboard mechanism comprising a manually operable control-bar member, a support structure adapted to be fixedly secured to a keyboard mechanism in spaced relation to the ends of the key levers thereof, movable means providing parallelogram intercoupling of said control-bar member and said support structure for movable support of said control-bar member from said support structure and including two coupling shafts journaled in parallel spaced relation to one another individually by said control-bar member and said support structure, spring means for biasing said control-bar member to a nonoperated position while permitting movement thereof to an operated position, an arm member fixedly secured to one of said shafts and adapted to extend into engageable relation with a key lever of said keyboard mechanism, and a mechanical coupling bar fixedly secured at one end to said one shaft for angular rotation with said one shaft and journaled at its opposite end on the other of said shafts for angular drive motion of said one shaft by operation of said control-bar member between said non-operated and operated positions thereof.

2. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 1 wherein said movable means includes a pair of approximately parallel positioned rigid link members of which one is pivotally supported on said shafts and the other is pivotally supported on two further shafts individually journaled by said control-bar member and said support structure in spaced and parallel relation to each other and to said coupling shafts.

3. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 2 wherein said control-bar member and said support structure are each elongated and each has spaced and approximately parallel end support projections in which said shafts are journaled in parallel relation to one another.

4. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 2 in which each said link member has a platform portion and stiffening end flanges apertured to receive said each shafts for support of said link member thereon.

5. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 3 wherein said support structure includes at least one base portion and said parallel support projections are bent over therefrom to provide a support struc ture generally of U-shaped configuration, and wherein said control-bar member also includes a base portion having bent-over end flanges providing said support projections and thus provide a control-bar member having U-shaped configuration of lesser length than the spacing between the support projections of said support structure.

6. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 5 wherein said support structure includes a transverse support bar to which each said base portion is secured, and wherein said support bar is provided with a guide slot aligned with and receiving the free end of said arm member and the key lever adapted to be engaged thereby.

7. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 1 wherein said control-bar member is man ually operable between said non-operated and operated positions thereof and includes a stop projection portion cooperating with the shaft journaled in said support structure to establish the non-operated position of said control-bar member.

8. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 6 wherein said spring means provides a bias force urging said stop projection portion into said cooperative relation With said shaft normally to bias said control-bar member to said non-operated position thereof.

9. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure for a keyboard mechanism comprising a pair of manually operable control car members, a support structure adapted to be fixedly secured to a keyboard mechanism in spaced relation to the ends of the key levers thereof, movable means providing independent parallelogram intercoupling of each said control-bar member and said support structure for movable support of each said control-bar member in side-by-side relation and from said support structure and including a pair of shafts journaled individually by individual ones of said control-bar members and a common shaft journaled by said support structure, a first arm member fixedly secured to the one of said pair of shafts journaled by a first one of said controlbar members and adapted to extend into engageable relation with a first key lever of said keyboard mechanism, a second arm member fixedly secured to said common shaft and adapted to extend into engageable relation with a second key lever of said keyboard mechanism, a first mechanical coupling member fixedly secured to the shaft carrying said first arm member and journaled on said common shaft, and a second mechanical coupling member fixedly secured to said common shaft and journaled on the other shaft of said pair of shafts.

10. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 9 wherein said movable means includes two pairs of rigid link members of which one link member in each pair is pivotally supported on said common shaft and is also pivotally supported on an individual shaft journaled by an individual one of said control-bar members and the other link member of each pair is pivotally supported on a further common shaft journaled by said support structure and is individually pivotally supported by a further shaft individually journaled by individual ones of said control-bar members.

11. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 10 wherein said each link member has an elongated platform portion and stiffening end flanges apertured to receive said shafts for support of said link member thereon.

12. A control-bar key-lever-actuation structure according to claim 9 wherein each said control-bar member is manually operable between non-operated and operated positions thereof and includes a stop projection portion cooperating with said common shaft to establish the nonoperated position of said each control-bar member, and wherein spring means provides a bias force urging each said stop projection portion into said coperative relation with said common shaft normally to bias each said control-bar member to said non-operated position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,001,370 8/1911 Douthat 197-98 1,030,503 6/1912 Clauder 197-27 2,141,028 12/1938 Benzing 197-27 2,901,079 8/1959 Barkdoll 197-17 2,971,625 2/1961 Rix 197-17 3,103,272 9/1963 Roggenstein 197-17 3,250,366 5/1966 Rix et al. 197-17 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONTROL-BAR KEY-LEVER-ACUTATION STRUCTURE FOR A KEYBOARD MECHANISM COMPRISING A MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL-BAR MEMBER, A SUPPORT STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO BE FIXEDLY SECURED TO A KEYBOAR MECHANISM IN SPACED RELATION TO THE ENDS OF THE KEY LEVERS THEREOF, MOVABLE MEANS PROVIDING PARALLELOGRAM INTERCOUPLING OF SAID CONTROL-BAR MEMBER AND SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MOVABLE SUPPORT OF SAID CONTROL-BAR MEMBER FROM SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING TWO COUPLING SHAFTS JOURNALED IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER INDIVIDUALLY BY SAID CONTROL-BAR MEMBER AND SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE, SPRING MEANS FOR BIASING SAID CONTROL-BAR MEMBER TO A NONOPERATED POSITION WHILE PERMITTING MOVEMENT THEREOF TO AN OPERATED POSITION, AN ARM MEMBER FIXEDLY SECURED TO ONE OF SAID SHAFTS AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO ENGAGEABLE RELATION WITH A KEY LEVER OF SAID KEYBORAR MECHANISM, AND A MECHANICAL COUPLING BAR FIXEDLY SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID ONE SHAFT FOR ANGULAR ROTATION WITH SAID ONE SHAFT AND JOURNALED AT ITS OPPOSITE END ON THE OTHER OF SAID SHAFTS FOR ANGULAR DRIVE MOTION OF SAID ONE SHAFT BY OPERATION OF SAID CONTROL-BAR MEMBER BETWEEN SAID NON-OPERATED AND OPERATED POSITIONS THEREOF. 